Unlocked
by MnBYnS
Summary: He never had a past– or at least, a past that he remembers. [Firebender and Swordsman Naruto OOC NarutoxJune]
1. Identity

**Identity**

* * *

 **86 AG**

"This is far enough. Throw him by the river."

A man covered by the shadows nodded. The eccentric mask he wore became visible as he moved out of the darkness, with an unconscious boy slung on his shoulder. The boy barely looked alive and his sun-kissed hair was stained with blood, but none of the two stoic figures seemed to care.

Lifting the boy, the masked figure jumped off the branch and unto the edge of the cliff. Without a second glance or thought, he threw the boy into the ravaging river.

"Let's go," his companion commanded and left with a swirl of leaves. He followed and took his leave, seeing the boy get washed away from their home.

"The demon's gone!" He smirked beneath his mask.

The boy's petite frame pretty much hit everything in his path, but no bruise nor cut could wake the boy up. His drug-induced sleep clung unto his consciousness for all its worth. The being inside of him could only seethe in rage, all the whilst pouring his chakra to keep the boy alive for as long as he could.

" **Wake up _Naruto_!** "

* * *

As soon as his consciousness returned, all the pain from the bruises and wounds marring his body invaded his senses. He wanted to cry and scream, but his dried up throat wouldn't let him. Instead, he gazed at the burning sun as he tried his best to ignore the excruciating pain.

Its scorching hot rays didn't hurt his eyes, instead he felt that it's healing him in a slow pace. Just as he closed his eyes, something licked his face that made his eyes to shoot open.

Naruto saw a wolf. A giant one. Its hair was between the shades of blue and gray and its eyes imitated the color of blood. It was his first time seeing the feral creature, but he knew that the fur pattern of this one before him was rare.

He blinked once and it mimicked him. He blinked for the second time and it licked him again. A small twinge of pain stung him briefly, however he found the pain to have disappeared seconds after the wolf had licked him.

With all the strength he could muster, he lifted his head and saw that the wolf was licking his wounds and they were healing.

Needless to say, he found his first friend. Human or not.

If Naruto wasn't consumed by exhaustion and sleep, he would've heard the being inside of him.

" **Thank you friend** ," a deep voice said, and the wolf placed his right paw on top of Naruto's abdomen in response before returning to his previous task of healing Naruto.

"Ugh…" Naruto groaned as he sat up. He expected the pain from before to return, but instead he felt the comfort of soft fur. It was then when he noticed that he was lying on the wolf that helped him earlier.

Naruto stroked the sleeping animal's fur, curious of the face-like pattern embedded. Too engrossed with its fur, Naruto failed to notice that it opened its eyes and was carefully watching his actions. A small growl made him flinch. And when the animal jumped unexpectedly, Naruto stumbled back.

"I- Thank you… You can't understand me, but thank you," Naruto mumbled as he hoped that the wolf understood him.

The animal continued growling, its fangs also presenting themselves to the boy. It was snarling at him but he still took the courage to approach it. Taking a deep breath and a few steps forward, Naruto stretched his tiny hand towards the wolf with his palm showing.

When the wolf did not stop its growls, Naruto approached closer. The wolf jumped with its teeth ready to sink. Naruto closed his eyes and raised his arms as a shield in reflex, waiting for the assault to take place.

But moments passed. Not one of his expected wounds actually happened. He opened one eye and saw the wolf attacking a creature behind him. To make things more bizarre, the new creature looked like a hybrid of a monkey and a leopard.

He stared, puzzled at the hybrid. Likewise the wolf, it had a small coat of blue glow. The wolf dodged when its opponent slashed at him and took the opportunity to bite it at its abdominal part. Before the wolf had any chance of taking off a flesh, the hybrid clawed its face as it took off with whimpers.

Naruto could only stare in mute horror, but he also admitted to himself that he felt a tinge of amusement.

He silently contemplated everything. Two creatures with a slim and strange glow, his body completely healed despite the dozen injuries he had a few hours ago, and his new friend that's now tilting its head as it sat upright. Its tail wagged – something that Naruto deemed an expression of wolves that was akin to dogs; meaning something piqued their interest.

Naruto slightly chuckled. It was like this wolf wasn't battling a hybrid a few moments ago. It acted as if he was waiting for the invisible reward.

He was taken out of his musings when he heard its bark and ran off to another direction. And even though his surprise gave him a little delay to respond properly, Naruto jumped to his feet and chased after his furry friend.

It didn't take him long to catch up, after all, he had several experiences running away from drunken villagers and ANBU. For as long as he could remember, he had been trying to wrap his head around the reason why he played the role of a deer in hunting season.

And as ridiculous at it may seem, the only reason he could think that made the most sense was that his parents probably went on a killing rampage. His train of thought kept its course, unaware that his tenant felt solemn.

' ** _Minato…_** ' The being grumbled underneath its breath.

Naruto leapt over a fallen tree and copied the wolf as it turned left, delving deeper into the forest. The chase went on for at least half an hour. Naruto halted when he saw the wolf once again sitting with its tail wagging. Although this time, it wasn't facing him, but at a swirling mass of energy.

Wonder filled his mind as he stared at it; he never saw anything like this before, and what astonished him even more was when his friend jumped inside of it.

" **Follow him to the portal. That will lead to another world** ," a deep voice echoed in the area. But he wasn't startled. He was too captivated with the so-called portal. He could only nod absently, before taking one-two steps forward and finally doing as he was told.

Naruto pondered. What would he feel once he got through? What would he feel while he was inside the portal? Would years, if not decades, pass after he reached the other side? Where would he end up?

Those thoughts didn't last long when his consciousness suddenly faded, right after his body was enveloped by the portal.

' ** _It's time for a new life, Naruto_** ,' the Kyūbi thought as he watched the portal close.

* * *

 _"Die!" A shinobi with a strange mask yelled. His cry of rage was followed on by the cheers of the mob behind him._

 _Everything was a blur to Naruto, but even then he knew that he was in serious danger. He wanted to start his escape – but he couldn't feel his legs. He couldn't feel his own body. As if he was a robot and someone else had the controller._

 _He couldn't even close his eyes._

 _He saw every strike and slash create wounds._

 _Every strike made him want to die._

 _Every passing second in this hell made him want a hit to finally finish the job._

* * *

Unlike most times, Naruto instantaneously shot awake. Only a few minutes had passed since the young boy came out of the same strange swirl. The portal closed as soon as it spat him and threw him on the soft grass arraying the new land.

Naruto took his surroundings with unveiled enthusiasm; but there was also worry since he wasn't on familiar grounds anymore.

Everything was new.

A never before seen plant rested on his right, and the flower it bore caught his attention longer than any other of his surroundings. And there was also a pond. Maybe a lake? He wasn't sure.

The only certain fact was that everything was tranquil.

It was peaceful and he loved it. For once in his life, he was comfortable – just from experiencing the undoubtedly calming atmosphere.

Naruto stood up and approached it. Cupping his hands, he filled his hands with the clear water and splashed it on his face. As the cold water made contact with his skin, his friend was reflected on the water. Naruto looked up and the wolf's tail wagged.

"Where is this place?" Naruto mumbled.

" **This is a new world. And… This is where I came from, Naruto** ," the boy was startled at the voice. Naruto attempted to seek the source of the voice, only to find that besides his furry friend, no one was around.

" **It's be better if we talk–** " Naruto's vision went black until he realized that he wasn't in the open landscape anymore, but in a dark and somewhat ominous place, " **–here.** "

His eyes widened, threatening to fell out of their sockets when a crimson fox came into view. It rested behind several bars of steel and in the middle, a paper with the writing – **_SEAL_** – was stuck. " **I won't eat you. Don't be so frightened!** "

The fox was easily larger than him and its slitted, glaring eyes drove away all his comfort.

"W-What the hell!?" Naruto blurted out as he stumbled backwards.

" **Calm down, damn it** ," the fox grumbled deeply, " **Just shut up for a second and listen, kit**."

Naruto merely nodded, causing the fox to sigh once more, " **First of all, we're in your mindscape. This – sewer is your mindscape. And while I don't appreciate being in a sewer again, this isn't exactly the right time to ask for a change of scenery**."

By then, Naruto stopped his shuddering and had his undivided attention to the fox, " **I am Kurama – the great Nine-tailed bijū. Bijūs are the kings and queens of the spirit world, a plane that coexists with mortals, however normal people can't see us. Only a few people can. We are the beings that lesser spiritual entities look up to. And right now, you're in Forgetful Valley – it's a place connected to the spirit world – my home.** "

"W-Why are you here? In my mind?"

" **Because you're a jinchūriki. You're a mortal with a bijū sealed inside of them. It is also because of your status that the villagers treated you like crap. They see the beast that slaughtered their families instead of an unaware young boy** ," Kurama closed his eyes, remembering every drop of blood spilled from his jinchūriki.

"But I thought that the Yondaime–" Kurama cut off the boy, " **Everything will be explained in due time, Naruto. I know that you're still unsure if I can be trusted – but there's no one else here but the two of us. So for now, I need you to do as I say. Starting with following Toru**."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Toru?"

" **The wolf that helped you. He's a friend of mine here in the spirit world, and he knows what to do. I gave him instructions while you were unconscious. Now, hurry up. Time's wasting** ," Kurama said.

"Wait! How can I talk with you again?"

" **I'm sealed in you, just focus and you'll return here. And I can communicate through your mind, now go!** "

Naruto felt himself pulling away from the mindscape and returning to the same place before. He glanced at Toru, who wasn't sitting anymore and on all fours. Naruto nodded at Toru and it took off at a direction which he followed.

' _Where exactly are we going?_ ' Naruto thought, trying to construct a conversation with the sealed beast.

" **Just follow Toru. You'll find out soon enough** ," Kurama responded, ' ** _I hope I'm not too late_**.'

Naruto chased after Toru for a few minutes, going through a worn-down arch, and arriving at a majestic castle located in a wide plane. Outside the castle were several young kits roaming the grasses as they chased each other.

" **Home…** " Naruto heard Kurama, " **Naruto, go inside, and if someone stops you, well, let's just hope no one does**."

' _Okaaay_?' Naruto was hesitant, after all, a castle this grand is probably crawling with guards.

" **Take the stairs to the left and climb to the roof. It's the quickest way**."

Naruto did what he was told, sprinting to the castle and taking the far-left stairway and arriving at a small balcony that overlooked the entire forest. His eyes glazed with sheer amazement, until a voice snapped him out of it.

"What are you doing here!?" A man arrayed in a black yukata startled Naruto. His hands looked ready to unsheathe his katana, raising Naruto's panic levels. The man had scarlet hair and he was probably in his early twenties; he also had six black tails – Naruto observed while he tried to calm himself down.

The guard was still at the bottom of the stairway, which gave Naruto the chance to jump and climb the stone wall to reach the roof. The guard, undoubtedly, began his pursuit at the young intruder. Naruto sprinted on the roof tiles with Kurama guiding him the way. After a few jumps, Naruto jumped down to a balcony with an open door.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw a woman, resting on a nearby chair, having tea.

The woman was beautiful in Naruto's opinion. Her hair was like a golden waterfall, free-falling down in what looked like a miko (shrine maiden) attire. Her attire hugged her tightly, showing off a voluptuous frame. What stood out the most was her nine golden tails. Naruto's musings were put to a stop when Kurama raised his voice.

" **Oi Naruto, stop ogling my wife and talk to her!** " Kurama grumbled.

' _W-Wife!?_ ' Kurama simply ignored his jinchūriki.

"Who goes there!?" The woman approached Naruto, her eyes glared daggers as she decreased her distance from the trespasser.

"W-Wait! I don't mean any harm. My name's Naruto!" Naruto hurriedly said.

The woman did not remove her killing glare, making the boy in front of her gulp in fear, "Child, do you know that I don't like intruders? How can I know that you're not an enemy?"

" **Yasaka** ," she stopped and held back a gasp. She knew that voice. The boy's eyes changed from bright blue to red slitted eyes and his whisker marks also became much thicker.

"Don't refer to me in such a way, boy," she seethed. She hated how this boy's eyes resembled her husband's eyes. It made her reminisce all the bad memories.

" **Yasaka! It's me, Kurama** ," Yasaka stopped her tracks, "Y-You can't be! You're just a child! And the last time I saw my husband, he was taller than me!" She said in disbelief.

" **I'm sealed, Yasaka. This is my jailer, Naruto**."

Yasaka gave him a calculated glare, "If that's really you, tell me something that only you and I would know."

" **Fine, your sister and parents were discussing her wedding in the balcony while we did it in their courty–** "

" **Stop**!" A full-blown blush covered her face, ashamed at the memory that her husband uses to tease her. To make matters worse, to hear those words coming out of a child's mouth embarrassed her even more.

"… Kurama…?" Yasaka covered her mouth as she tried to hold back her tears.

" **I'm sorry for leaving.** "

* * *

" **You idiot!** " Kurama winced at the yell. Even after centuries, her voice didn't show any signs of getting quieter.

' ** _Maybe it was a mistake to return_** ,' he thought.

"Don't you know how much worry you gave me!? You were gone for centuries, Kurama! Centuries! I had no clue to where you ran off to, or even if you were still alive!"

" **Technically, I'm a spirit so I can't be kil–** "

"Don't interrupt me!" Yasaka glared, making Kurama grumble about wives and their incessant rambling, which then made his wife to glare at him again. If looks could kill, Kurama would probably be dead a hundred times over, spirit or not.

"And what's worse, our children grew up without their father! Kunō only had you for a year before you disappeared!" Yasaka ranted to her husband, or at least, to the boy that contained her husband.

" **I apologized already!** "

"One apology won't make up for everything!" Yasaka sighed, "I was worried. Very much so. What if you found someone else? That thought frightened me the most, Kurama," she did her best not to choke, only to fail.

" **Yasaka… You know that I'll only love you and no one else** ," Kurama muttered, " **If only I wasn't in Naruto's body I'd kiss you right now**."

Red hues crept up to Yasaka's face before giving off a light chuckle at his predicament, "First things first… We can catch up later, for now, I need to release you from this seal," she said as she looked at the pattern embedded to Naruto's abdomen.

" **Can you do it?** " Kurama asked, his (Naruto's) hand lifting his shirt.

"It'll take at least a day, but I'm pretty sure I can. We need to be careful though, if we extract you from Naruto-kun, the child might die. I'll try my best, dear."

" **Finally, I've been sealed for too long!** " Kurama cheered. Yasaka smiled at her husband. It was weird seeing him in a four-year-old boy, but the enthusiasm he portrayed just now reminded her of when they were still kits and not one of the rulers of the spirit world.

"I'll be at our study, give back Naruto-kun's body for now and explain everything he needs to know," she said.

Kurama's cheers died, " **Yasaka… Don't you think it's better for Naruto to– you know, take him to _her_? That way he'd be able to start a new life, forget the suffering he had?** "

" _She_ might do so, but are you sure this is good for him?"

" **Naruto has suffered enough. I killed his parents on the day of his birth and his life has been a living hell.** "

"You what!?" Yasaka raised her voice again, threatening to hit his husband for breaking a family.

" **Relax woman! I didn't mean to! His parents were my friends!** "

Kurama sighed, " **But that's a story for another time. I have faith that Naruto will become something great, and I think his past will become an anchor for him. It's time to turn a new page in his book.** "

Yasaka stared at her husband with mild disbelief. Time sure can change anyone. The Kurama from before he had left was brash and ruthless, although he was kind to her and his few friends. Yasaka smiled at this new development, "I trust your decision, dear."

" **Thank you** ," he smiled at her before he pulled back from Naruto's senses and giving the boy back his body.

"Woah, what happened?" Naruto blinked, his eyes reverting to its original hue of blue. Yasaka laughed lightly at the boy. She snapped her fingers in a surprisingly loud volume, and within a few seconds, a male with short red hair appeared to her side. He wore a black yukata like the guard that gave chase to him before. The man had seven red tails, with a tint of black at the end of each tail.

"Naruto-kun, this is Yosuke," she gestured to the newly-arrived male, "Yosuke, I'd like you to meet Naruto-kun. Take care of him while I do something."

"Is he related to you, Yasaka-sama?" Yosuke asked, eyeing the boy with curiosity.

"No, but my husband is currently sealed in him," she laughed when Yosuke's eyes widened, "And I'd also appreciate it if you keep this information to yourself. It's not exactly a sign of power for a bijū to be sealed in a four-year-old boy."

Unbeknownst to Yasaka, Kurama was grumbling something again about wives and disrespect.

"Of course, Yasaka-sama," he bowed his head as Yasaka left, waving goodbye to Naruto and Kurama before she disappeared. Yosuke turned to Naruto with a smile, "You must be starving!"

Naruto, now acquainted with the mistress of the castle, left all of his respect in the dust and blatantly asked for ramen. The guard laughed at Naruto's excitement and nodded, "Well then, you're in luck. Daiki-san's in the kitchen right now and it's his specialty. I'll ask him to whip some ramen immediately," he tousled Naruto's hair.

Unknown to the servants of the castle, Naruto had a good chance that he would probably tire out the cook from all the seconds he would be asking for.

* * *

In the first two hours of waiting, he watched his jinchūriki gobble up a large quantity of ramen. In the next hour, he became more impatient and was bored out of his mind, and it was because of Naruto who was running around the castle for no valid reason. Although he had fun watching Yosuke chase after Naruto.

Kurama silently applauded his jinchūriki for his speed, for such a young age, he can run at damn high speeds. Yosuke could catch up to him of course, but for someone who hasn't lived for more than a decade and a half would be troubled catching the troublesome child.

After six more hours, Kurama finally found some shut-eye when Naruto found their hammock and fell asleep. He woke up before Naruto did, and a few minutes before Naruto regained his consciousness, Yosuke tried to communicate with him.

He remembered this kid. Yosuke was probably a very young kit at the time he left, but this guy gave him a mountain of troubles because the child hid his weapons very well in more than just one occasion. It turned out that Yasaka was fond of the kit, and if he didn't know that then he would've said goodbye to his precious katana.

"Kurama-sama, I do not know if you can hear me, but I'll speak anyways," Yosuke said in a whisper, not wanting to wake up Naruto.

"Because of the disappearance of several bijūs in the spirit world, he's causing trouble again," Kurama frowned at the news. He knew of the spirit that's been trying to overthrow the bijūs.

Yosuke continued, "I overheard from some of Yasaka-sama's meeting with her sister, Kuroka-sama, that there have been some disturbances such as more spirit monkeys have been losing their–"

"Yosuke-san? Who are you talking to?" Naruto rubbed his eyes as he yawned. Unknown to Naruto, Yosuke slightly frowned when the boy woke up.

"I'm actually waking you up, Naruto-kun. Yasaka-sama is looking for you," Yosuke said and Naruto jumped off the hammock, "Thank you Yosuke-san!"

The guard smiled at Naruto, "By the way, did you sneak in here earlier? Another guard was complaining to me earlier that he lost some blonde intruder."

"Y-Yeah," Naruto sheepishly said, "Well you must've been very skilled in stealth. Only a few can outrun that guy," Yosuke laughed.

" **Yosuke** ," the sudden deepness of the voice startled the guard. Naruto's eyes switched with Kurama's, and by then Yosuke knew that it was Kurama that he spoke to him. He gave a quick bow.

" **About what you were saying earlier, we're going to talk about it after I'm released** ," Kurama said before Naruto resumed his control, unaware of his Kyūbi's abrupt takeover.

"Yosuke-san? Are you alright?" Naruto asked.

"Y-Yeah. Let's go Naruto-kun."

* * *

"Yasaka-sama?" Yosuke asked, with Naruto just behind him as they entered the vast library of the castle.

"In here, Yosuke," they both followed Yasaka's voice until they saw the mistress descending from a stairwell, "Thank you Yosuke, you may leave now," the red-haired male gave a quick bow before leaving.

"Naruto-kun? Can I speak with my husband for a few moments?" Naruto blinked, confused at how he's going to do that. His thoughts however had stopped when Kurama took over.

" **Is it finished?** " Kurama asked his wife who shook her head in response, "The seal's more complicated than what I originally thought. It'll take a few more hours, and the one to release you will be Naruto-kun. You need to explain what needs to do."

" **I'm not sure he trusts me enough to just release me** ," Kurama muttered, " **I'll just tell him the whole truth. He'll eventually forget about it anyways**."

Her husband sighed as she continued, "He needs to smear his blood over the seal and anything further than that will be up to me. This'll be very excruciating for Naruto-kun; you should also warn him about what he's about to experience."

Kurama nodded, " **If we're done here, I'll tell Naruto to sleep in the guest room. Good night, Yasaka,** " he smiled at his wife, which she responded to by hugging the boy.

"Good night, Kurama. It's good to have you back again, dear," she released the hug and saw Naruto's eyes shift from Kurama's to its original cerulean tint, "Thank you Naruto-kun."

"What–? Did he talk to you already?" Naruto asked the older woman who smiled at him, "Yes, every time he does that your senses are blocked because he takes over, so I apologize for that."

"O-Oh. It's alright Yasaka-sama."

"It's getting late; you should rest for tonight. It must've been a very long day for you," Yasaka said. Naruto gave her a grin and left the library, with Kurama telling him the directions to the guest room.

" **Turn right here and the first door to the left will be your room,** " Kurama instructed his jinchūriki. Naruto eagerly jumped on the soft, large bed. It was his first time sleeping on something like this and not on the dirty and rough floor of some dark alleyway.

Naruto continued jumping up and down the bed, completely ignorant of Kurama's complaints. Fortunately for Kurama, his hyped reverie died down when Naruto exhausted himself and falling into a deep sleep. Kurama was also about to succumb to a long slumber when he saw Yosuke at the doorway.

"Kurama-sama," Yosuke whispered as he approached Naruto's unconscious form.

"I deeply apologize, but you need to know this right away. From what I overheard…" He trailed off, explaining every last detail to his master.

Kurama groaned, even while sealed, he could never catch a break.

* * *

"It's time," Yasaka said, facing the boy that served as her husband's container, "Are you ready, Naruto-kun?"

The boy nodded and Yasaka smiled at the boy's courage. It had been a few hours after daybreak, and she only had an hour of sleep after resolving her husband's problem.

Kurama knew that he should be excited, but after explaining to Naruto his heritage and what really happened on his parents' death, he felt solemn once he saw the look of sorrow tainting the boy's face. Tears fell from Naruto's eyes when he had finished, and Kurama couldn't do anything. He gave him an hour to himself, which he knew was insufficient, but he needed to be released from the seal.

Naruto was reluctant to agree, but nevertheless agreed to his plans, seeing that the bijū was a personal friend of his parents. He, of course, was troubled at the time. It was a big revelation for him. To know that his father was actually the Yondaime Hokage made him ecstatic. But the excitement was short-lived when he realized that he used his own son to become the jailer of the bijū.

He pondered if his father knew what kind of life a jinchūriki would face. Kurama also revealed that his mother was a very strong shinobi, gaining a name for herself in the shinobi world, and that she was Kurama's previous jinchūriki. He told him that she treated him like a family member and it was for this reason that the Kyūbi became friends with Naruto's parents.

It was also because of that friendship that made Kurama aid Naruto in his life, even if he only became aware of it now.

Naruto was enraged when he found out that Kurama was the one that had killed his parents, but after realizing that someone manipulated Kurama, his rage for the bijū was immediately transferred to the masked man.

The masked man took everything from him.

He didn't know if Kurama was lying, but he needed someone to blame. And for some reason, he felt like he could trust the Kyūbi.

Kurama hated seeing that look from Naruto. It really would be the best course of action to take him to her.

Naruto bit his thumb until a wound opened up and his blood seeped out. He ignored the small discomfort and smeared the blood atop the seal. Yasaka nodded at him, "Leave the rest to me, Naruto-kun."

Yasaka held on to Naruto's head, muttering a few words before the boy's body became limp. Yosuke placed Naruto's unconscious body to the ground before quickly moving to a distance far away from the process. He witnessed the mistress mumble something before slamming her open palm to the young boy's abdomen, causing a scream of pain to come out of Naruto.

Yosuke was surprised that even after being put to sleep, the pain must've been too severe that he regained consciousness. Naruto, however, after feeling the piercing agony on his body, returned to unconsciousness. Yasaka and Kurama frowned at the boy, their faces filled with pity. Yasaka then resumed her task.

* * *

Naruto's eyes opened, revealing the blue orbs he had inherited from his father. They met the blinding rays of the sun that sneaked past the window. He immediately shut his eyes, his silhouette curled up like a ball under the blankets as he groaned.

Naruto then remembered the last time he was conscious. Yasaka was about to release Kurama from him, and then he recalled the unbearable pain that came when Yasaka's palm made contact with the seal. Naruto removed the blanket and lifted his shirt.

"The seal's gone…" He mumbled as he examined his abdomen.

"It is. Thank you kit," Naruto's attention went to the person standing on the doorway. An unknown man that looked like he was in his late twenties, had flaming red hair and nine red tails behind him. Beside him was Yasaka, with a happy grin plastered on both their faces.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, gaining a small amount of laughter from the two, "Am I that unrecognizable in my human form?"

The former jinchūriki widened his eyes, "K-Kyūbi?"

"Kurama. Yasaka here is a Kyūbi too," the man grinned, showing off his cuspid.

Naruto's eyes drifted to a nearby wall mirror ㅡ his hair had turned crimson, like he inherited it from Kushina.

"Ah the red hair might be my fault," Kurama sheepishly said, "I possessed your body a little too long and now your hair changed to something similar to mine."

"But enough of that, a week has already passed, kit. You really had us worried."

"Woah. A week? That must be why I'm starved right now. Can I have some ramen?" Naruto cheekily said and was overjoyed when Yasaka mentioned that the dining table already had dozens of bowls of ramen.

Yasaka threw a questioning look at Kurama when he mentioned that they needed that many, her husband only responded with a chuckle and saying something like, "It's better if you see it yourself," and then he left; she only grew more confused when Yosuke and Daiki chuckled alongside him.

"… Is that even possible?" Yasaka asked her husband as she witnessed Naruto practically clean every bowl of ramen within minutes. Kurama gave her a toothy grin, "Ever since he learned how to use chopsticks, he's already like that. I think he inherited that trait from Kushina."

Yasaka knew of who her husband was talking about; it was Naruto's late mother in his former world. A day after Kurama was released, he explained his entire life in this other world. He told her every single detail, from meeting Hagoromo, the first shinobi – a concept she didn't quite get at first, up to the moment when they arrived back here at his home.

It took Naruto a few more minutes until he gobbled up the remaining bowls of ramen. Kurama didn't have a tinge of surprise when he finished everything in mere minutes, while Yosuke and Daiki had visible looks of surprise. It was good to know that she wasn't alone in this.

"Now that you've had your lunch, kit," Naruto turned to Kurama, "We need to talk about something."

* * *

Naruto, Kurama, and Yasaka sat at Naruto's room with Yosuke standing guard at the doorway whose job was to make sure no one else could eavesdrop.

"The Mother of Faces?" Naruto asked.

"She's a good friend of ours, kit. She's the one that gives faces to the new living creatures. And at times, she grants a human's wish when they desire to have a new face. She turns down most of them, but I think you have a good chance," Kurama replied.

Naruto pondered, what would a new face do for him? "I don't get it… Why would I need a new face?"

"It's not just your face, Naruto-kun. The Mother of Faces can also remove your memories, giving you a chance to turn a new leaf. You can live with a whole new identity, now that you're here in a new world."

"Erase my memories?"

"Don't you want to forget all those suffering you went through?" Kurama stated with a frown as a few bad memories resurfaced, "Without that dragging you, you can become something great."

Naruto stared at the bijū. It was true – all those memories only gave him nightmares whenever he shut his eyes. They ranged from chases to murderous attempts; the mere recollection of all those experiences causes a cold sweat to run down his spine. The offer was quite tempting, but he only knew who his family was. It was a heavy decision and to put it on the shoulders of a young boy was just unfair.

"Kushina would want you to do this, Naruto," his blue eyes widened when Kurama mentioned his mother. Kurama knew it was not right to use the boy's mother for this decision; to let her name be the push they needed for the former jinchūriki to agree.

But they needed Naruto to lose his memories; to live a new life. The boy was oblivious to all kinds of danger lurking in the spirit world and it wasn't safe for him.

Kurama learned from Yosuke about the possible war that the spirit world will go through, and when he talked about it with his wife, she solemnly proved that this information was true and there might be a war in the near future.

Knowing Naruto, he's not exactly the type to run away from something – a trait he inherited from both his parents. He was as stubborn as Kushina and he was as strong-willed as Minato. Just hearing the kid's thoughts, when he was still his jailer, reminded him of those two. He was the mirror image of both his parents.

And so, it would be safer if Naruto loses his memories of his past as well as the memories he had of them. At least, until he was strong enough, which he would be – Kurama had faith in him.

"I'll… I'll do it. But can you make sure my name will still be Naruto?," he said with his head down. Kurama smiled, "Sure, kit."

"The Mother of Faces grants only one wish every season, and luckily for us, tomorrow is the mark of a new season," Yasaka said. Kurama nodded, "Toru is the familiar of the Mother of Faces and he'll take us to her tomorrow. She's passing by Forgetful Valley during these times, so we're pretty fortunate."

Only Naruto was left confused and down. The married couple already took their leave but Yosuke remained stationed at his door, keeping a close eye on the child.

He felt sorry for the boy.

* * *

Naruto looked to Toru –the wolf with the strange fur– walking in front of them. The twenty-four hours had passed way too quickly for his liking. It was the first time he felt time chasing him. He couldn't sleep right; it was only until he drank something that his drowsiness finally won the battle against his consciousness.

He didn't know that Yosuke secretly mixed sleeping pills to his water.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed when he thought about the decision again.

 _"Monster."_ _"_

 _Die already, demon spawn!"_

 _"Get out of here!... Damn Kyūbi."_

 _"Freak!"_

Naruto shook his head and steeled his expression, those nightmares will be gone soon enough.

They walked on for about an hour with Toru leading the way. They ended up at an elevated clearing, with a lake not too far from the landscape. Toru headed for the top and they followed the wolf spirit.

All was silent except for the its long and loud howl.

It was then when a blinding light made Naruto to promptly shield his eyes from it. Kurama and Yasaka had gotten used to this, but their eyes still squinted from the entrance of their friend.

" **Toru. You were gone for a day. Where have you been?** "

The new voice was gentle, but Naruto knew that it belonged to a powerful presence. Toru gave a short bark, as if speaking to the newcomer. The light was still masking its form, so Naruto couldn't get a good look at it.

" **Yasaka. How have you been, old friend?** "

Yasaka smiled and replied, "I'm better now that my husband has been back from his self-imposed exile."

Her response made Kurama to throw a complaint, only to be cut off by the creature, " **You have been gone for too long, Kurama. Centuries are not short portions of time, friend.** "

"In my defense, I didn't plan to be gone for that long," Kurama grumbled.

" **Still, it is nice to see you both again, my fellow spirits,** " the creature spoke, as the light finally went away.

Naruto observed the creature, it was definitely large and it had a plant like form. The leaves spiked at the corners of its shoulders and all ten fingers mimicked the appearance of sharp roots. Its head had six brown plant-like spikes. But the most distinguishing quality was its number of faces.

"Likewise, old friend," replied Kurama with a grin.

" **And who is this young child?** " The creature faced –well at least one of its faces did– Naruto.

Kurama spoke as he patted Naruto's head, "Sha, this is Naruto. Naruto, this is Sha, but you know her more as the Mother of Faces."

Naruto's eyes widened as he quickly bowed to Sha.

" **It's alright, child,** " Sha then turned to the couple, " **What is he doing here, Kurama, Yasaka?** "

"Every season, you grant one human's request when he/she wishes to change his/her face."

" **Are you saying that this child wishes to have a new face?** "

"Yes, Sha-sama," Naruto spoke this time.

" **This is quite a peculiar situation, Kurama. This is the first time you supported a human. Care to explain why the sudden change of heart?** "

"Well, like you said, centuries aren't short portions of time. I have learned and grown in those times, Sha," Kurama said, "I know that you're hesitating, but Naruto is in need of a new face. And also, as a favor, erase his memories."

" **I am sensing that this child here is in great pain. It aches me to see a young life to have gone through so much agony already,** " solemnness was evident in her tone, " **Are you sure, child? I can grant your wish, but I need to know if you have any second thoughts.** "

"I…" Naruto trailed off, his mind running millions of thoughts in mere seconds, "I'm sure. Goodbye, Kurama, Yasaka-sama, thank you for everything."

"Geez, don't get so emotional kit, we'll meet again," Kurama chuckled, only to be elbowed in the gut by his wife.

Yasaka smiled warmly, "We also thank you, Naruto-kun. We'll meet again, I shall make sure of it."

"Good luck, kit."

Naruto grinned at them, "Until next time!"

"Good luck, Naruto."

Naruto closed his eyes.

* * *

It was the soft, pattering footsteps that awoke him from unconsciousness. The grass underneath tickled his body and the soothing sound of trees shuffling comforted his senses.

"… Where am I?" He sat up as he took the scenery around him. An extravagant house stood in a far distance, but other than that, it was a large clearing.

"Who am I?" He shuffled his hands around his body, as if investigating for something.

"Naruto. Your name is Naruto," a voice spoke. Naruto calmly looked behind him. He saw a tall man arrayed in red and black clothing and a sword sheathed in its scabbard dangling at his waist. His skin was darkly tanned, and had black hair and a goatee.

"Na-ru-to?" He mumbled, unknowingly staring at the man's weapon. The man grinned at the boy, "I am Piandao. It's nice to meet you, Naruto."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Like everyone (or most) in , I don't like long Author's Notes so a lot of stuff is already covered here:

1) In this fanfiction, the Jūbi doesn't exist, and the Rikudō Sennin doesn't split ten-tailed bijū into nine. The nine bijūs all came from the spirit world and the Rikudō Sennin was like their tour guide. When Kurama came to the Ninja Universe, he was the fourth bijū to do so; all of these will be explained.

2) Yasaka – the wife of Kurama, and Kuroka – Yasaka's sister are both from Highschool DxD and the idea of Yasaka being Kurama's wife was inspired by a crossover fanfiction of Naruto and Highschool DxD by Angeldoctor – Kage no Kitsune (I received permission).

3) Naruto will be two years older than Zuko, but his age is still canon in Konoha, meaning Konoha Twelve are older than the Avatar characters.

79 AG: June (She didn't have a birth date but I'll make her two years older than Naruto)

81 AG: Naruto

83 AG: Zuko

84 AG: Sokka, Yue, Suki

85 AG: Katara, Mai, Azula, Ty Lee

88 AG: Toph

4) Pairings: Naruto x June (No harem but maybe a side of Naruto and Yue, depends on how the story goes), Zuko x Mai, Azula x Ty Lee, Katara X Haru, and Sokka x Suki.

5) Someone will probably ask this sooner or later, Naruto will not have the abilities of a shinobi (jutsus, water-walking, etc.) because Kurama had Yasaka seal his chakra (As for Yasaka being a seal master, it'll be revealed in the story) when Naruto was unconscious for a week. I'm not accurate about seals and stuff but just roll with me here.

6) Naruto is a firebender for reasons that I will not divulge yet, but hopefully will make sense when the time comes.

7) Naruto meeting the wolf was purely coincidence. No one else in the Naruto Universe can see the wolf spirit except for Jinchūrikis because the Bijū inside of them are from the spirit world and their power that was fused to the chakra of their Jinchūriki allowed the Jinchūrikis to see spirits. So, I hope that made sense?

8) Ikem existed, but, Ursa stays a little more longer and has more affection for Azula, so that'll have another effect on Azula's character – a tad lesser psychotic.

9) This will follow the Canon events from the original Avatar timeline, with a few tweaks.

10) Kurama was able to possess Naruto's body for a short while for the reason: "Spirits have the ability to take over a human's body for short periods of time. When this happens, the human takes on some of the spirit's physical characteristics." (From the wikia) Which will also explain Naruto's new red hair. It's the only change that he will adapt to, since Kurama, technically, is already a tenant of Naruto and a part of him, thus possessing him has much lesser consequences than if he is released from the seal and then possessed Naruto.


	2. Rising

**Rising**

* * *

 **89 AG**

He had seen the black and white scabbard for the millionth time now, but the sight of it still remains fresh in his mind. It rested on the foot of his bed, and a smile flitted to his face as the memories embedded on the weapon washed over him.

It wasn't his permanent weapon, just your average weapon made from low-grade materials – because the old man insisted that he wasn't ready for anything stronger than it. At first he protested, like any child would, but it had been a year since he acquired it, so even he was getting tired of his own protests. And so, he was more than determined to improve himself to forge his own weapon with the highest grade materials available and show that old man.

A knock to his door pulled him back to reality, "Are you done, Naruto?" He replied without glancing his eyes at the door, "Almost!"

"You're going to be late, hurry up," Naruto heard Fat's footsteps walking away from his room. Presently, he was fixing his appearance, dressed formally per the threats of the old man. He was clad in uncomfortable black and crimson armor over his grey long-sleeved top – just the typical noble-style clothing. He adjusted the tight collar again, hoping that it won't choke him for the rest of the day.

Naruto also glanced to his untamable mop of red hair, combing his hand through it, but it still wouldn't fix itself. Piandao and Fat suggested that he put it in a top-knot and use a headpiece, which he did, yet as if the hair itself had its own life and wouldn't fit properly into a top-knot. He just surrendered to it during training and tied it up in a quick knot, messy or not.

"I guess this'll do…" He mumbled to himself as he grabbed his weapon and hooked them to his belt before rushing out to the gate.

Naruto sprinted down the rock-strewn stairway and onto the courtyard, where Piandao stood with an emotionless face. This man had been his master and father-figure for three years now, but even then, the urge of calling him as father or master never presented itself.

"I'm here old man!" He cheekily said, ignoring the twitch in Piandao's eyes.

Piandao kept his hands hidden between the large sleeves of his clothing as they walked towards their carriage. Naruto winced at the Dragon Moose that Fat always uses for the carriage. Two years, and he still couldn't get used to them. Why couldn't they use the Mongoose Lizard again instead of these?

' _It was waaay better when we rode the giant lizard_ ,' he thought to himself as they boarded the carriage. Fat acted as the coachman and it was not long before they were off to their destination. Naruto kept his hands busy by adjusting his collar over and over again, unaware that his master's mind was reminiscing the previous three years.

* * *

 _ **86** **AG**_

 _When Piandao took Naruto to the impressive castle, his eyes almost fell out of their sockets. They had every reason to be – it was grand and magnificent, and it overlooked the town as it stood in a high cliff; not to mention that it hosted several rooms. It was definitely big for just three people._

 _Naruto was immediately taken under Piandao's wing the day after, and Naruto had no objections. He also had another apprentice – Fat, for quite some time now. Fat was at the level of sparring occasionally with him, and since Naruto just began his training, Naruto had to endure the incredibly boring (well to Fat anyways) painting and calligraphy._

 _The new kid actually enjoyed practicing his hobbies. Even after sunset, he held on to the brush and ink before retreating to his room and enthusiastically working on his calligraphy. Piandao also seemed surprised, because from what he had heard from Kurama, Naruto was quite the active prankster._

 _Maybe that nature of his was erased alongside his memories. Oh how wrong he was when the castle experienced what Fat dubbed as, "The Rainbow Castle of Shu Jing," Naruto just looked on with pride at his work, until he punished the boy with a noodle ban which lasted for a month._

 _He and Fat didn't expect him to have taken a liking to stuff like calligraphy or painting. He mentioned to Fat that it soothed him when he was a child so they assumed that it must be the same thing for Naruto._

 _He always reminded his apprentices that these hobbies are actually connected to swordsmanship – something that Naruto hadn't quite wrapped his head around yet._

 _Like in painting, the swordsman only has a few instances to take in his environment and engrave it into his mind. Because of this, he both had them painting the large waterfall near the town after only seeing it in less than half a minute. It was evident that Naruto didn't excel much in the talent of painting, but then again, hard work often beats talent._

 _Naruto proved that to be true, using his progressing skill in the art as proof._

 _After a few months, he was then told to do more physical exercises. Piandao instructed Naruto to run laps around the town while he assessed Naruto's capabilities in his mind. After the first lap, the boy's stamina was far different from the boys of his age and his speed was also praise-worthy._

 _Naruto's mind might've forgotten his escapes in his previous world, but his limbs haven't. His sturdy legs carried him with strength and his sprints always felt like he was riding the wind._

* * *

 _ **87 AG**_

 _It was only after the first year of meeting the child when he finally let Naruto handle a wooden sword and a straw dummy as the opponent. Naruto was also allowed to spar with Fat once a week, much to Naruto's enjoyment. The boy had grasped the basics in just two weeks. He silently applauded the boy, Kurama was right after all – Naruto held great promise._

 _For the rest of that year, they took training in a slow but productive pace. After all, you can't really expect a six-year old to become a master swordsman in a flash. He also made sure that Naruto could live like a regular child._

 _Naruto attended the only school in their town of Shu Jing. It wasn't as fancy as the school that most royals attend, but it was sufficient enough because Piandao knew the school's headmaster through a group. Let's just leave it at that._

 _He also noticed that his adoptive son stayed out until nightfall every Friday since his admission to the school. He merely set it aside, suspecting that Naruto was playing with the other kids, and it turned out that his hunch was right. Naruto brought his friends over once at their home, playing in the rock garden in the back._

* * *

 _ **88** **AG**_

 _The second year was quite amusing. Naruto has become someone very skilled for a child of his age. It was also that year when Naruto had gained his first win against him._

 _He was playing along with Naruto, who was taking the master seriously as if it was a battle with his life at stake. The child pretended to be taking a break, sitting on a rock, when his hand was actually fiddling with a water balloon, except he tweaked it and filled it with paint instead._

 _He smirked at the boy who glared at him as he sprang himself up from the rock, and just as they took their stance, Naruto adapted a smirk and threw a paint balloon which exploded on his face and forced his eyes shut._

 _Naruto threw another paint balloon by his feet which made the ground slippery. The child didn't take another second before disarming the wooden sword from his master's hand and pointing his weapon to the latter's throat._

 _Piandao, wiping the paint still in his eyes, laughed at Naruto's trick and despite how underhanded it was in a battle of pure swordsmanship, he commended the boy his thinking and utilizing his tools in battle. It will be useful in his future battles - to not rely on his skill alone and to take advantage of everything he can use._

 _All is fair in war._

 _Unfortunately for Naruto, Piandao had become more attentive of him and that accidental win of his was his only and final win, probably for the rest of his childhood. Naruto sighed defeatedly._

 _He only sparred with his adoptive son once in a while, mostly since Fat was Naruto's opponent, if not the wooden dolls by the courtyard. He had wins against Fat, but he lost more often. It wasn't much of a disappointment since the latter was also his apprentice. He was both proud of their growth._

 _Naruto was ready to move on from his wooden sword phase, so Piandao took him to the local blacksmith for a low-grade sword. Naruto complained but was still grateful, since it wouldn't be too heavy or too dangerous for a child. He trusted Naruto wouldn't hurt himself, probably, but one can never be too cautious._

 _Naruto spent the rest of the day happily hacking the bamboos surrounding their castle, leaving much ire to Fat who had to clean it up afterwards._

* * *

 **89 AG**

Piandao smiled at the huge progress that Naruto made in just three years. So far, Naruto passed with flying colors – as an apprentice and as a son.

They soon arrived at their destination – the Fire Nation Bazaar. Apparently, Piandao was meeting someone; a Fire Nation officer and a great general. Those were the only hints that Piandao gave him, leaving him to his own assumptions.

Naruto eyed the town curiously, it was his first time here, and the open market raised his curiosity. The market boasted a lot of top-quality merchandises such as jewelry, headgears, food, etc. It was still early in the morning so only the merchants setting up and a few people were roaming the place.

He followed Piandao to some restaurant and they were seated by the waitress to the balcony. Naruto looked around, the other guy was nowhere to be seen. A sigh left his lips, this was going to be a long day.

It was a great thing that he created a new hobby – wherein he would carefully contemplate and examine the exercises he would go through for his swordsmanship. His fingers often danced around the top of his fist, using them to symbolize his movement in combat.

It kept his mind busy while his master remained silent as he sipped the served tea. Naruto was pulled out of his musings when he heard his master stand and directing him to stand as well. They both gave quick bows to a man dressed in a noble's clothing.

The man was around his master's age and while he had a wider frame, Naruto knew that this man might be stronger than his master.

The man replied with the same gesture before sitting on the other side of the table, "It has been quite a long time, Piandao. It is a pleasure to meet you again."

"You as well, Iroh," Iroh smiled at his friend, before noticing the child beside him, "This must be Naruto?"

Piandao nodded as he introduced his son-figure to Iroh, "This is him. Quite the troublemaker, but he's a remarkable child. Speaking of which, where is Lu Ten? I thought that he'd be coming with you."

"He's looking around the bazaar so he's running a little late. I could never control that collecting hobby of his," he ended with a heartily laugh. Iroh's hand reached out to the teapot and poured the cup of his favorite beverage.

"He gets it from his father," Piandao chuckles lightly.

"Tell me Naruto," Iroh drank the tea, "Any thoughts on the nobles here?" Iroh fished around, attempting to guess the boy's nature.

The boy raised his eyebrow as he answered, "Nobles are just like any other civilian. As long as they don't have sticks up their– ouch!" Piandao lightly smacked Naruto's head, already knowing his next word, "Language, Naruto."

"A-Anyways, I think some of the nobles don't like their position because of how other civilians see them - as stuck-ups. But then again, some abuse their position so I don't really have an opinion of them as a whole, I only have thoughts on who they are as individuals."

Piandao and Iroh could only stare at the boy in mild disbelief. Piandao knew that for his age, Naruto had developed a somewhat mature mind -despite his pranks and mischievous nature- but it was definitely a first to see the child giving this kind of answer.

Iroh laughed, while his mind comprehended the boy's personality, "Hahaha! Is he really an eight-year-old?"

Naruto was startled at the man's reaction, he expected to receive an earful since the General was considered as one of the nobles. He blinked a few times before finally regaining his composure once again. Iroh faced Naruto, "Naruto, this old man can only offer this advice to you – the journey ahead is rough and there's a lot of forks in the road. The struggles you will come across can throw you off your path, but do not forget these ideals of yours. It is who you are."

The child blinked, before giving an ear-to-ear smile to the general, "Thank you, General–"

Iroh interrupted the child, "Just uncle, I never liked the formalities myself," he smiled and Naruto nodded, "Thank you, uncle."

"Dad! Sorry, I'm late," a man slightly shorter than Iroh said. The man had small sideburns and a topknot, like most residents in the Fire Nation Capital. He was also clothed formally, mimicking some of his father's clothes. Piandao smiled as he offered the newcomer with tea.

"Master Piandao! I apologize for my tardiness," Lu Ten said sheepishly as he scratched the nape of his neck.

"Son, this is Naruto," Iroh pointed at the young boy as his son gave a smile to the boy.

"I'll be leaving you to Lu Ten for now, Naruto," Piandao said to his adoptive son. Naruto gave a quick nod, knowing that the meeting wasn't just for old times' sake.

* * *

Several hours had passed since their fathers left them for a meeting. Usually, Lu Ten was included in war meetings so it was a little strange that his father didn't include him in this one.

He knew little of the meeting but he trusted his father enough. War was something that Iroh despised, like he did, so it was safe for him to conclude that he wasn't up to some evil plot.

He and the young kid of Piandao actually had lots of fun; he even demonstrated his firebending skills to Naruto. Naruto watched the fire appear from his palm, and Lu Ten made it dance with both hands.

Naruto had seen firebenders in Shu Jing, but none of them compared to Lu Ten. Not to mention that he was already a lieutenant at the age of 17.

He also tried the bending himself, only to get the weakest fire they both had ever seen.

Lu Ten didn't dare to discourage the boy.

Naruto knew that if he used bending in a battle, it'll end in a complete and utter victory for the enemy. A sigh left his lips, it would've been awesome if he was great at firebending.

The worry for Naruto was short-lived because the boy had been a ball of energy, despite the earlier events. It seemed like his optimism never runs out.

"Naruto! We're going home now," Piandao said as Naruto and Lu Ten rushed to the table, "I trust that you've been on your best behavior?"

"Nope," Naruto chuckled, "Lu Ten showed me firebending!" Piandao rose his eyebrow as he looked at the young lieutenant. Lu Ten laughed lightly in response, "Don't worry master Piandao, we had fun but I managed to control his pranks – well, to others at least. I didn't survive."

Piandao sighed, "Naruto…" The boy merely grinned in return as Iroh laughed wildly, "Well then, until next time, Piandao, Naruto."

"Until next time, uncle, Lu Ten," Naruto bowed quickly, while Piandao bid them his farewell.

* * *

 **91 AG**

Another two years flew by. Naruto's wins against Fat were larger now than his current losses, and so, Piandao also began sparring with him for the last two months, and as much as Naruto grudges, it always ends in a landslide victory for the master.

Naruto - 1, Old man - 75468262.

His weapon of choice had also been replaced with a sword made of a slightly higher material grade. It was heavier than his previous one but he quickly adapted after a few days – a feat that impressed Piandao.

Moreover, his sprints had gotten much better, and because of more rigorous anaerobic exercises, his muscles had greatly improved in strength and endurance. But with every improvement, a much harder training came. For days, merely walking was a life-and-death situation.

Naruto instantly deduced that Piandao was a sadist.

Iroh and Lu Ten visited them often, and sometimes it was just Lu Ten, who became his brother-figure. The lieutenant always brought him his favorite food, noodles, from the capital. During those visits they attempted to improve Naruto's firebending, but the results are often failures.

They never figured out his problem. Nevertheless, the duo never gave up and managed to at least improve Naruto's fire to the size of a ball.

Presently, Naruto was in the capital, training with Lu Ten whenever the lieutenant had free time. Piandao and Iroh observed from a distance, quietly discussing their plans.

"Ba Sing Se?" Piandao asked.

Iroh nodded in response, "Ozai keeps bringing it up lately, and despite that it hasn't fallen in the war, he suggested that the Fire Nation should strike there next."

Piandao sighed deeply, "And what did the fire lord say about it?"

"He dismissed it, for now at least. But Ozai is still pushing the subject. If I didn't know my brother better, I'd say that he's up to something. And this conquest of his might become our father's objective either," Iroh said.

"This war just keeps getting worse."

"Indeed. With or without the Avatar, it is up to us to solve this problem," Iroh muttered as he rubbed his shoulder, "Hm, they've been at it for quite a while."

Piandao returned his attention to Lu Ten and Naruto; the duo had been practicing stances and despite Naruto's weaker fire, Lu Ten kept instructing him the proper stances and breath control. Iroh laughed, reminiscing the time when he was the one teaching his son.

Their sons promptly halted their training while Fat handed them towels, "Dad!" Lu Ten shouted as they approached their fathers.

"We didn't notice you," he chuckled, "Too busy training, ain't that right Naruto?"

Naruto grinned in agreement, "It's fun, even though I suck at it," Lu Ten just grabbed the younger boy in a headlock and tousled his hair, "You'll get better at it."

Iroh silently agreed with his son. He could see the boy's brimming potential, despite the circumstances. From what he observed, Naruto lacked a drive, or 'inner fire' – hence his current firebending skill.

Or he hasn't found his purpose yet in this world. Benders tend to get big changes in their power after a significant event that changes their course of life; maybe that could also be the case for the young swordsman.

Iroh didn't voice his thoughts, knowing that the boy needed to find the answer himself. And then, the right teacher can polish the talent within him. He was akin to a dormant volcano waiting to explode.

"How was the meeting, old man?" Piandao's eyebrow twitched, "It went well. They're not insisting on my involvement in the war anymore," Naruto sighed in relief.

It had been quite a shock to him when a group of soldiers came to their home and asked for Piandao. For some reason, this 'Ozai' guy wanted his master to fight in the war because of his status as a master swordsman. Piandao declined, but their requests never ceased.

The soldiers were becoming more aggressive after each dismissal. Naruto was actually ready to fight back, if it weren't for Piandao beating him to the punch. The last meeting ended up with three beaten up soldiers, with his master only using a scabbard as his weapon.

"Isn't it strange that they suddenly stopped?" Naruto asked. He thought that they would become more persistent.

"Well, the last meeting did not end well for them, so maybe the message finally came across," Piandao reassured Naruto, but his mind agreed with the boy.

Iroh spoke up, "Now then, we should go back. It's almost evening. You can continue your training tomorrow, Naruto," the boy nodded as they gave their farewells.

"There's noodles at the lodging right?" Piandao nodded at Naruto's question and the boy cheered loudly.

"Is there training this week?" Naruto asked as he swallowed the remaining contents of the bowl.

"Yes. But we're just sticking with your exercises for now. We'll return to sparring once we go back to Shu Jing. I'll be gone most of the time so I trust that you'll do these exercises diligently," he knew that Naruto was very attentive when it came to his training, but he still reminded him from time to time.

"Don't cause trouble. We're in the capital and these pranks of yours will not be tolerated lightly," Piandao said, "You can train in grounds near here. Lu Ten will fetch you in the afternoon."

Naruto nodded, "No laps?"

"No laps. Focus on the other exercises and your firebending."

"So you think I'll improve in my bending?"

"I don't think so. But I know that you'll master it," Piandao smiled, "Even the smallest seed can become a fruitful tree, Naruto. It doesn't grow in just a short period of time. It must be constantly cared for."

"Thanks, dad," Naruto toothily grinned. He appreciated the times when Naruto called him that.

* * *

"Forty. Forty-one. Forty-two," Naruto muttered as his arms pushed off the ground, lifting his body. This was his first exercise of the day, push-ups. He recently increased it to at least fifty every day, then followed by sit-ups of the same quantity.

It was in early daybreak, maybe an hour since the sun rose, and while he slept in occasionally, training early had already become his hobby. Meaning more time of training before Lu Ten came. Piandao and Fat were already gone when he awoke, so he immediately started his training. Those two already reminded him that they'll be gone most of the time anyways.

Naruto hooked his legs up unto the nearby monkey bars; it was high enough for his body to hang in the air. It was pretty convenient since they were far away from home.

Naruto lifted his upper body and swung it to both sides as he began his count, "One. Two. Three."

He was at the fortieth when someone else came to the grounds, curiously observing his actions. Naruto sensed the newcomer, but since it was an open space, he shrugged it off as a mere passerby, "Forty-two. Forty– Ah!"

He was interrupted by a surprise. Normally, surprises rarely worked on him; a prankster has its perks. But when a girl younger than him crouched atop the high monkey bar, and appeared out of nowhere, even a stoic person would be surprised.

When he lifted his upper body, his face was met by a girl looking intently at him, eagerly greeting him with a quick, "Hi!"

He would've fell if it weren't for his legs locking themselves to the metal bars. Naruto took a deep breath before detaching himself and standing properly.

"Uhm… Hi?" Naruto grabbed a nearby towel and used it to wipe off his sweat. The girl jumped off the monkey bars with a somersault and landed right in front of him. Naruto was taken aback, 'Woah.'

"I'm Ty Lee! Those were pretty impressive," she smiled brightly.

"Thanks, that somersault was awesome," Naruto smirked, seeing the girl's amusement, "I'm Naruto."

"Nice to meet you! It's my talent," she giggled, "Well, nice meeting you!" She happily skipped away, ignoring the bewildered look on the boy.

"… That was weird."

* * *

Lu Ten took in a deep breath through his nostrils, his body posturing into a firebending stance, before punching the air with a remarkable ball of fire, "Proper breath control–" he exhaled, "is essential for every firebender. It is how precise we could control our fire. Poor breathing can result to reckless firebending."

"Back to square one, huh?" Naruto sighed, "Well I guess it's necessary if I want to get better at it."

"You know it," Lu Ten chuckled.

"Lu Ten?" Naruto asked with his eyes still closed as he continued his breathing exercises, "Hm?"

"Know a girl named Ty Lee?" He exhaled. If he opened his eyes right then, he would've been seen the massive grin plastering Lu Ten's face, "Oh? What's this? Got a crush, lil' bro?"

"Well she's pretty, that's for sure," Naruto replied as Lu Ten laughed louder, "I met her earlier. She's weird, but she knows how to somersault. Not even you can do that."

Lu Ten stopped laughing, seeing the smirk on his younger brother's face. He formed a small ball of fire and flicked it to his forehead, "You should be concentrating!"

Naruto grumbled, "I take it you don't know anyone like that?"

"Not really. I'm not into little girls you know," Lu Ten said as Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Don't you dare comment on that!" Naruto shook his head in amusement, "But I can ask my cousins, Zuko and Azula. We're not that close though."

"Thanks, but it's not really important so don't go out of your way finding this girl," Naruto chuckled, "She might call the authorities claiming that you're a pervert stalking– ow!"

"Concentrate, Naruto," he snorted.

Hours passed with their training. Naruto punched his fist, hoping that even the tiniest bit of improvement would happen. That hope was soon… crushed.

'… T-This is really frustrating!'

Lu Ten merely observed Naruto's firebending. He sighed, three hours of repeating the basic steps to figure out their problem – only to fail miserably, "We should take a break, Naru–"

The young swordsman yelled his irritation, his fist once again punching the air, "Haaaaah!"

A swirl of fire blew out. It was about his height, and while it's not much of a feat for adept firebenders, it was a huge success.

"I-I did it…" He stared at his fist, "I did it!"

Lu Ten grinned as he tousled his little brother's hair, "Yeah you did! It's about time, lil' bro!" Naruto, with newfound faith in the bending, tried it again.

It blew a small ball of fire.

"… You're kidding, right?" They both sighed.

* * *

"It's really easy!" Ty Lee cart-wheeled as Azula watched. The princess pouted. It was the one of the few things that she couldn't accomplish. Granted that she's only six years old, but she was used to getting everything she wanted.

"Show-off," Azula chuckled as Ty Lee gave her own pout. It was then when she heard her brother and mother. She rushed to the duo while Ty Lee was trying to motivate their very stoic friend.

"Mom, can you make Zuko play with us? We need equal teams to play a game," Azula's mischievous intention went unnoticed by Ursa.

"I'm not cart-wheeling," Zuko argued.

Azula rolled her eyes, "You won't have to. Cart-wheeling's not a game, dumb dumb."

"I don't care. I don't want to play with you."

Azula, with her eyes seemingly pleading, said, "We are brother and sister. It's important for us to spend time together. Don't you think so, mom?" She looked to Ursa who smiled warmly.

Zuko looked behind him as his mother tousled his hair, "Yes darling, I think it's a good idea to play with your sister. Go on now, just for a little while."

She gave a smile to her eldest before leaving her children to head into the palace.

* * *

"Azula!" Zuko grumbled, oh how he loathed his sister.

He knew Azula was up to something, it's like her second nature to deceive people for her own amusement. And soon enough he fell for her trick when he had tackled Mai and they both fell in the fountain.

"I'm out of here. Sorry, Mai," the fire prince helped Mai up before leaving the trio.

"You and Zuzu are really cute," Azula laughed with Ty Lee giggling lightly, though Mai, her clothes drenched, only gave a huff of annoyance.

* * *

"Stupid Azula," he threw a pebble in their pond. It skipped once before hitting a baby turtle duck, which then made the mother attack the prince. Needless to say Zuko backed away immediately from the body of water, "S-Sorry!"

Zuko was too engrossed in escaping the angry fowl; too engrossed that he didn't notice two newcomers approaching him. A hand tapped to his shoulder and he almost jumped in surprise, "Ah!"

"It's just you," he sighed.

"Hey Zuko. You're here all by yourself?" Lu Ten asked his cousin who nodded with his brows furrowed, "Azula ticked you off again."

Zuko grumbled as he noticed an older boy that accompanied Lu Ten, "This is Naruto, by the way. Naruto, meet Zuko, Prince Ozai's firstborn and my cousin."

"Nice to meet you," Zuko greeted him and Naruto returned with a smile of his own, "Likewise, Prince Zuko."

"If you're looking for father, he's not here. He and grandfather went on some meeting."

"Actually, we're looking for you and Azula. Does the name "Ty Lee" ring a bell?" Lu Ten asked. Zuko's eye twitched, "Y-Yeah, she's Azula's classmate. They're playing in the yard."

"Sibling fight?" Lu Ten merely chuckled while Zuko gave a light glare to his cousin, "It's none of your business…"

' _Yep, the kid sister's bullying her big brother,_ ' Naruto remained silent, as he tried to mask his amusement. Lu Ten said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Zuko merely sighed, when his eyes drifted to the sword strapped Naruto's back. The latter noticed his eyes and smiled, "Are you a fan of swords?"

Lu Ten smiled at Naruto – his thoughtful nature trying to uplift his cousin's mood, "What about Ty Lee?"

"We know she's the princess' friend already, it wouldn't be hard to find her next time!" Naruto pointed to the young prince, "And Zuko's nodding his head non-stop," he chuckled as Zuko eagerly asked, "Y-You're a swordsman?"

Naruto pumped his fist, "Yeah! I'm an awesome one too!" He cheekily said while Zuko continued his questions, "Can you stream fire with it? I've only seen it once but it's really cool!"

The fire prince didn't know that he struck a sore spot in the older boy, as Lu Ten laughed wildly, "Naruto can't firebend. Well, he can, but you'll easily beat him in it."

"You're a firebender?" Naruto asked and Zuko grinned, "Father teaches me sometimes, but he spends most of his time with Azula so it's Uncle Iroh that overlooks my training."

"… Prince Zuko, I think we'll get along very well," Naruto grinned.

For the rest of the day, Naruto demonstrated some of the basics to the fire prince who was enthusiastically mimicking his every move. Zuko was doubtful at first that Naruto knew proper swordsmanship, but nevertheless tried his training. It was a simple gesture in Naruto's part; after all, making friends with other children isn't a strange thing.

And the fact that the prince treated him without indifference that snobbish nobles would, was his real reason.

They agreed to train together when the older boy visits the capital, especially since Lu Ten would spend most of his time outside the Fire Nation and wouldn't be able to visit Naruto as frequently.

* * *

 **Author's** **Notes:**

Guest Reviews (I respond to users in PM)

1) Making Naruto an airbender will make a lot of sense, but I actually have a decent (Hopefully? lol) reason for Naruto's bending. It'll be explained further in the story :). And yes, pieces of his memories will start to come back. The Mother of Faces don't make mistakes like this, but if you read the first chapter again, it might hint you on why the Mother of Faces' abilities are fading. The chakra part is faaaar yet.

2) I didn't nerf him lol. Hopefully these reasons will satisfy you:

2A) I figured that if I give him access to his chakra, it'll pretty much make him way too OP for someone with such a young age (there are tons of that already, go read those instead if you want Godlike!Naruto), especially since I already made him train with the best swordsman and another source (which will be revealed in the next chapter). But that doesn't mean that Naruto's chakra is sealed forever. Yasaka did say in the first chapter that they'll meet again.

2B) Even if his chakra isn't sealed, his memories were still wiped and he'll have no recollection whatsoever of it at least until the canon timeline.

2C) Other chakra users aren't in the Avatar universe so even if he did manage to use chakra (But he can't), no one's there to teach him and Kurama doesn't plan on appearing just yet.

And sorry for the very... Very late update. I've only gotten around to writing until recently again. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and I'm working on the third one - with the Siege of Ba Sing Se, it's outcomes and how it'll affect Naruto, and new training.

And I changed the few stuff that can be found on the Author's notes of the first chapter. Reread if you want.


	3. Not an Update

I just wanted to answer some reviews because I'm too lazy to pm people individually. I hope all the questions and complaints about Naruto's chakra being sealed will stop after this.

Thank you for the reviews and alerts.

 **Andrew10458** : His firebending ability - he will get better at it, don't assume that just because he was weak at first. I'm not that author who gives him a jump in prowess who can defeat firelords at the age of ten and forgets all about the training and growth. He'll train in firebending like how he was trained in the art of the sword. He trained like how Piandao trained Sokka, but in a more extended length of time because Sokka was a teenager by the time he was taught, unlike Naruto who is a child. Plus, Naruto wasn't designed for war thus explaining the slow pace that Piandao took to train him. Meanwhile, Sokka was going to battle the Fire Nation so his training was more rigorous and rushed. Piandao left the army because he lost his taste for war so Naruto wouldn't be raised as a weapon, at least not without a small childhood that Piandao and Kurama intended for Naruto to have, with training thrown in the mix.

The chakra part, once again, just read the 2) in the Author's note of the previous chapter. In 2C) Kurama is busy with his own matters since he's a leader of the spirit world which is in turmoil. The chakra being sealed, I have an actual reason in the story which I'm not gonna reveal yet. And as I said, it won't be sealed forever. I'm not gonna answer more reviews about the chakra part because there's nothing else to ask about. If some readers don't like chakra-less Naruto, please just read another fanfic and save us both the time. Piandao was a non-bender and he survived well without it, Naruto can too. Naruto, with swordsmanship and firebending, which he will both be great at, are his tools until Yasaka removes the seal.

Well I can't please everyone, if you don't like Naruto's growth - then by all means, stop reading. I'm not a fan of Naruto being too overpowered.

I made him go to the Avatar universe because, why not? It's called fanfiction for a reason. Everyone wants a go at how they'd want the story to be told. My story is a slower training progress and not an overpowered Naruto. I want another protagonist in the Avatar universe and how he can be a catalyst of events, or how he'll affect the original characters. I want to see him fare without his jutsus in his arsenal.

Thank you still, for taking the time to read and putting a review. Much appreciated xD

 **LightninXX** : Yes he will, right now he's weak in the terms of his firebending but he'll get better.

 **INQ8448** : I have other plans for Aang. I'm not sure who he'll be paired with, or if I'll change my mind about Katara and Haru because Katara being with the earthbender could also bring a new perspective - like Katara might be an antagonist because she might become a fire nation extremist (Thanks to Dragonpony22). I don't know if you were sarcastic about not including Aang in the story but he will be in it lol, Naruto won't be that close with team Avatar but won't be considered their enemy. Their goal will be both be peace so they'll at least work together but they will have different ideals. Naruto will be a rebel to which Aang will disagree on, etc. And yes, Ba Sing Se will be a huge effect on Naruto, because the story's following the Canon timeline. Something will happen and that'll be like a wake up call for Naruto.

 **Im-Bored-and-Gay** : AG is the time they use in the Avatar universe. 99 AG is when Aang gets out of the iceberg and the war ends at 100 AG. 0 AG is when Aang runs away from the air temple and encases himself in an iceberg and when Firelord Sozin used the comet to begin the century long war.

This is from the wiki - To further clarify the often confusing timeline in Avatar: The Last Airbender, this timeline and other articles date events as years before the Air Nomad Genocide (BG) and years after the genocide (AG).


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